[unreadable] This is a new application for a training grant in "Inflammatory and Fibrosing Diseases" centered in the Rheumatology Division at the Medical University of South Carolina. The emphasis of our division and this proposal are on identifying and studying factors related to ethnic disparity in systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma in African Americans. The Preceptors for this proposal are faculty in the Rheumatology Division or successful senior investigators whose research interests are in inflammation and/or fibrosis who have active ongoing collaborations with Rheumatology Preceptors. We are requesting three training positions with an anticipated two MD postdoctoral fellows and one PhD postdoctoral fellow per year. We anticipate supporting both basic science as well as health services research training. The Rheumatology Division has a long and successful history of training translational researchers in fibrosing diseases. Our division has expanded its focus to include inflammatory diseases, specifically lupus. We now have the critical mass in our division and at MUSC to support a training grant in inflammatory and fibrosing diseases. Training new physician scientists and translational researchers is a critical need in rheumatology. Our applicant pool has expanded significantly in numbers and quality as an increasing number of our fellows are interested in pursuing academic careers in either basic science or health services research. Due to the population we serve, we are focusing our efforts on defining societal, environmental and genetic factors that impact morbidity and mortality in African Americans with rheumatic diseases. This focus is the major goal of our divisions newly funded NIAMS MCRC for studies of scleroderma and lupus in African Americans. All the Preceptor faculty are active, enthusiastic mentors with strong track records of success. Affiliated faculty are junior investigators we anticipate will soon become Preceptors. Our current fellows provide evidence of the quality of our applicants and the need for support for them to pursue the additional years of training needed to become successful academic investigators. [unreadable] [unreadable]